County approves purchase of cars from Butler PD

LINDEN — Sheriff Richard Bates got a reprieve to ease the outdated vehicles in his department when the Marengo County Commission Tuesday morning approved the purchase of two cars from the Butler Police Department.

The cars cost $12,000 each, and the county would need to outfit each one at a cost of $10,000. Bates said the cars are needed because several of the county’s vehicles are costing more to maintain than they are worth.

The two cars from Butler would serve as a stop-gap measure until Bates learns if the county receives a grant to purchase two new vehicles.

As the commissioners began the first meeting of the year, the gavel was passed from the previous chairman, Calvin Martin, to the new president, Michael Thompson.

Brandon Smith with the Army Corps of Engineers asked for a letter of support from the entire board to enhance a grant application to pave the Gandy Ferry Road to the entrance of Spillway Falls Park.

The park, built with stimulus money, is attracting boaters, picnickers and others, but the dirt and gravel road leading to the park is in poor shape and discourages many people from using it, he said.

Smith said the grant application was submitted Jan. 7 to the Department of Transportation under the Federal Lands Access Program, asking for $720,000. It included a letter of support from past chairman Martin and a letter from county engineer Ken Atkins confirming that the county would maintain the road.

The commission tabled action on choosing a firm to prepare the county’s financial statements for 2012 and 2013 until it can review the proposals presented by two firms. The two bids are by Aldridge Borden & Company and Mason & Gardner of Demopolis.

John Fancher and Keith Bedsole of Alpha Contractors of Selma told the commissioners that they should begin looking at retrofitting the heating and cooling systems in the courthouse, the annex and the jail. The firm has maintained the system for several years. Fancher said the system is in constant need of repair.

District 2 Commissioner Dan England asked if an upgrade in the system could be a geo-thermal unit that would pay for itself in a short time. He asked the firm to present several options so that the commission can work proactively on replacing the system before there is an emergency.

Jackie Holliday with the Marengo County Health Department, said the prostate screening held in the fall was a success. Some 240 men took advantage of the screening.

He said the Alabama Department of Public Health, in an effort to become accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, is asking residents to complete a survey on health care needs in the area.

The survey is available on line at https://www.adph.org/Extranet/Forms/Form.asp?ss=s&formID=4216, or by paper from the MCHD, at Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital and other locations in the county. Residents are asked to complete the survey by Jan. 31.

Commissioners approved three members of the Marengo County Economic Development Authority: Broughton Rogers with District 2; Craig Stevens, District 3, and the reappointment of Johnny Jones, District 4.

In other business, the commission:

• Approved a liquor license for Dixon’s Mills Food Mart.

• Approved a resolution renewing the county’s participation in the Liability Fund for 2015-2017.

• Approved a Participation Agreement

• Approved the Summer Feeding Program.

• At the request of Ken Atkins, promoted an employee to truck driver.

• Approved a half-page ad for The Demopolis Times Progress Edition

• Heard a report from Stephanie Kaylor with the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

• Approved a one-time salary supplement that needed to be added to the personnel policy at the request of the auditor.